The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced the formation of an Agriculture and Water Resources Joint Action Committee aimed at addressing the nation’s pressing food security and inflation challenges. The Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi, made this disclosure during the National Youth Convention held in Abuja on Thursday. The convention was organized by the Nigerian Women for Agricultural Progressive and Development Initiative.
Senator Abdullahi stated that the establishment of the Joint Action Committee is part of a broader effort to advance President Bola Tinubu’s food security agenda. He emphasized the urgency of moving beyond traditional agricultural practices, noting that Nigeria cannot rely solely on a six-month rainy season to feed its population of over 200 million people.
To address this, the Ministry of Agriculture has initiated dry-season farming, a crucial step in ensuring that agricultural activities continue throughout the year. Abdullahi highlighted that the partnership between the agriculture and water resources sectors is specifically designed to promote year-round farming by utilizing the country’s abundant water resources and river-basin development authorities.
“We have approved the Agriculture and Water Resources Joint Action Committee, which will focus on food security by enabling us to take on dry season farming in most river basins,” Abdullahi stated. He underscored the importance of harnessing these resources to achieve self-sufficiency in food production and to mitigate the impacts of inflation on food prices.
Economy watchers have described the initiative as one which reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring that Nigeria’s agricultural sector can meet the food demands of its growing population while also stabilizing the economy by addressing inflationary pressures linked to food scarcity. They say by encouraging continuous farming activities and better management of water resources, food security as well the nation’s overall agricultural productivity will be enhanced.
